


Coffee, Unsweetened, with a Splash of Milk

by fictionismyforte



Category: Chicago PD (TV)
Genre: F/M, Fake/Pretend Relationship, One Chicago (Chicago Franchise), i haven't written fic in so long i hope this doesn't suck, idk honestly
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-26
Updated: 2020-12-26
Packaged: 2021-03-11 05:20:14
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,990
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28329615
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fictionismyforte/pseuds/fictionismyforte
Summary: Jay and Hailey are partners, but that's it. Then they're dating, but only for a case. Then, slowly, it might become more.
Relationships: Jay Halstead/Hailey Upton
Comments: 4
Kudos: 73





	Coffee, Unsweetened, with a Splash of Milk

**Author's Note:**

  * For [lissethsrojas](https://archiveofourown.org/users/lissethsrojas/gifts).



> this is a secret santa gift for lissethsrojas on tumblr! i haven't written anything since college started up again, but hopefully it isn't too horrible haha

_Coffee, unsweetened, with a splash of milk_ , Jay repeated to himself. He was pretty sure that was Hailey’s coffee order. Maybe he should have double checked-with her, though, because a splash really is subjective and what if she was lactose intolerant?

_Don’t be a fucking idiot_ , he told himself as he moved up to the counter. “One large black coffee, and one large coffee with a splash of milk,” he told the barista. No use overthinking a coffee.

He glanced at his phone while waiting for his order to be called. Voight had called them all an hour ago, telling them to be at the precinct by 7am to start sorting out the details of a case they had just received. Jay, already awake and getting ready, had texted Hailey to tell her he’d pick up a coffee for her on his way in. So here he was, panicking that she was going to look at him like he’d tried to poison her as soon as she took a sip.

“Jay!” The barista called, and he grabbed the two cups before heading out to his car. His breath clouded in front of him as he fumbled one-handed to pull out his key, and he cursed his decision to move back to Chicago after his tours ended rather than branch out to somewhere warmer. Maybe he’d move to Florida, one day.

His car still hadn’t fully heated up by the time he pulled into the parking lot, and he jogged up the stairs to get inside the precinct, being cautious not to drop the stupid coffees.

“Halstead,” Platt nodded to him. There were only a few officers around the lobby, a couple of them doing paperwork at the desk, one of them trying to console an elderly man that Jay was pretty sure was high, and a few others standing in the corner, watching the clock count down the minutes until their shift was over.

“Hey, Sergeant,” he replied as he scanned his card to open the gate. He wasn’t surprised to see Intelligence empty, seeing as everyone still had 30 minutes to get there. He placed Hailey’s coffee on her desk, praying it stayed hot, then walked over to the board to see the information Voight had already put up.

Packing company, multiple loaders suspected of being part of a cocaine dealing ring, their supervisor found dead that morning.

“How’s it looking?” Voight had walked out of his office, and settled himself against the desk across from Jay.

“Wonderful,” Jay replied. “We going under?” Voight nodded, looking past Jay at the photo of the man who had been killed less than 5 hours ago.

“I’m thinking you and Upton. Normally I wouldn’t gamble both my detectives away at once, but I think I have a good cover story for the two of you to go under together. Should move quickly with both of you there.” Jay sipped his coffee, nodding in acknowledgment.

Everyone else slowly started trickling in about 15 minutes later, looking characteristically tired and unhappy to have been called in so early. Hailey walked through the doors at exactly 6:57am, and Jay eyed her as she grasped the coffee. He saw her wrinkle her nose slightly after taking a sip, and cursed himself when she put it back down on her desk. Too little milk? Not enough? Should he have asked for almond or soy? He almost went over to ask, but Voight cleared his throat, motioning everyone over to the board.

“So, we’ve got a potential drug dealing ring in this warehouse. Seems like the workers involved are smuggling coke into boxes and loading them onto their buyers’ trucks along with some other cover-up things they ordered. The new supervisor might be one of them, but so far we only have eyes on Reid, Walter, and Nilene.” He motioned to two men and a woman, whose photos were taped up next to the new supervisor. “I want Halstead and Upton to go under together. This type of work is always looking to hire, so you two are gonna go undercover as an out-of-luck couple who desperately need work. Shouldn’t take too long; maye a week to build up trust and a week to nail’em.”

He continued rattling off explanations of what role everybody else would take, as Jay quickly finished off his coffee, noting as Hailey did the same albeit slower and still with a forced expression. _Damn it_.

Voight finished talking, and gave the nod to Hailey and Jay. Time to suit up and go.

* * *

“What was wrong with it?” Jay finally asked, as he and Hailey were sitting in their car in the parking lot of the facility they were about to have a job interview in. 10 minutes until they could go in.

“Wrong with what?” She asked him, carefully looking out her window at the warehouse.

“The coffee,” he replied. Hailey chuckled.

“It was fine, Jay. Normally I’d put a bit more milk in, but it was fine.” He made a mental note of that. _Coffee, unsweetened, with a large splash of milk_.

“So, Ryan?” He smiled.

“I don’t know, it’s the name I usually use when I go undercover. I’m getting good at responding to it, so why change it up, you know?” She nodded. “What’s the deal behind Celia?” She shrugged.

“Seemed fun, and Ruzek was impatient so I used the first one to come to mind.” They sat in comfortable silence for a few minutes, then Voight’s voice came over their radio.

“So remember, Ryan and Celia are in a serious relationship; they’ve been together for the last five years. Ryan spent some time overseas and was discharged four years ago, and the two of you have been trying to figure out how to build a life together since then. You’ve both been having a hard time getting work, and this job seems like a great position because you’ll have plenty of hours, be able to carpool in your only car, and should have some job stability. You both got it?”

“Sounds good, Sarge,” Jay replied. Hailey agreed as well.

“Okay. Make sure your mics are on; time to go in.” They double-checked their microphones to ensure that they were turned on and well-hidden.

“Let’s go babe,” Hailey smirked at him, holding her hand to him once he stepped out of the car.

They were quickly ushered into an office, and Jay made sure to look for the three workers Voight had singled out earlier. He thought he might’ve seen the woman, but didn’t get a chase to double check before the door closed behind them, cutting off his view of the warehouse and anybody in it.

“So, you’re Ryan and Celia?” They nodded, still standing as there was only one chair in the room, and it was occupied by the man in front of them. “I’m Doug. Just became the new supervisor, and you two are my first interviewees. So what do you say we make this short and sweet? You two dating?”

“Yep,” Jay said. “We’ve been-”

“Don’t care man, but don’t take it personally. I’m happy to have you guys as long as you don’t start having sex behind the boxes.” They exchanged glances, surprised at how easy it seemed to be to get in.

“Sure, man,” Jay said easily. Doug scribbled his signature onto some papers, then rumaged in his drawer.

“Ryan, you good with a forklift?” Jay shrugged.

“Yep.” Doug tossed him a set of keys.

“You’ll be operating Lift C. Schedule is posted outside the office each day; please don’t crush anyone with it. I don’t want any liabilities. Celia, I’m gonna put you on stocking within the warehouse. Some machinery that someone’ll train you on today.” Hailey gave a thumb’s up. “Great. Uh, go find Walter outside. Dan Walter; he’s a tall, big, white dude. Beard. Probably wearing flannel. He’ll show you two to your spots. You said on the phone you can start today, right?” They nodded, and Doug motioned them to the door. “Awesome. Please don’t fuck up my first day as supervisor.”

They closed the door behind them.

“Dan Walter?” Hailey said.

“Yeah. That’s one of the guy’s Voight wants us to watch out for.” They scanned the warehouse once they walked back into it, looking for Walter, only for him to pop out from behind a stack of crates a moment later.

“New hires?” He asked. “Doug said you’d be showing up and asked me to show you where to go. Couple?” Hailey smiled and grabbed Jay’s hand.

“Going on 5 years, actually.” On cue, he glanced into her eyes and smiled lovingly. Walter grimaced.

“You guys do you. Not here, though, no doing each other here.”

* * *

They met up for lunch, after spending a few hours orienting themselves to their respective tasks. Jay had gotten to the sad excuse of a breakroom first, and tried to fix some coffees. Unsweetened. Large splash of milk. He swirled the cup, thinking that it looked more milky than it had this morning, and handed it to Hailey with a smile when she walked in. There was one other person in the room, so they were in full couple-mode.

“No sugar, large splash of milk, just the way you like it Cels,” he said with the ease of someone who had been making her coffee for five years. Hailey glanced into the cup and smiled though forced teeth.

“Perfect, as always,” she said before leaning in to kiss him lightly on the lips. He felt his mouth tingle, but she was gone before he even fully recognized what was happening.

“Get a room, guys,” said the other person from the corner of the fold-up table. Lowering the magazine she was holding and lifting her head, Jay quickly recognized the woman as Nilene, the second of the workers they were meant to watch.

“We have a room, you just happen to be in here too,” Jay said with an easy shrug. Hailey punched him, harder than Celia would to Ryan, but still managed to make it look full of love. “Hey, what’s your name?”

“Nilene.” She said, not looking open to further questions about it. Jay kept going, anyways.

“That a last name?” She raised her eyebrows, and Hailey rolled her eyes.

“Ignore him, he’s bad at small talk. How long you been working here?” Nilene shrugged.

“Long enough to know I hate it, but not long enough to quit.” “Were you here this morning, when whatever went down that put Doug in charge?” Nilene chuckled.

“Just don’t ask questions about that. Old supervisor died, police think it was murder. If I were you, I’d stay out of it. No way they’ll be able to charge you for anything unless you get involved.” They decided to leave it at that. Jay watched as Hailey slowly drank half her coffee, then tossed it out before finishing it when their break ended. _Too much milk?_

* * *

Their day ended without much else happening, and they got back into the car at 4pm with Hailey at the wheel. They checked in with Burgess on the radio on the drive to Jay’s apartment, letting her know who they had met.

“What was wrong with it at lunch?” Jay finally asked. Hailey just laughed, then pulled up beside his apartment.

“I’ll pick you up tomorrow morning,” she said in response. “I’ll bring coffee.” And of course she was going to get his coffee order perfect, because there’s literally no way you can get black coffee wrong.

“See you then,” was all he said. He pulled himself into his apartment, scanning the hallway before closing and locking the door. He checked his phone to see a single text from Voight:

_Play it smart_.

He settled himself onto his couch with a bottle of beer, a few slices of leftover pizza, and the crappy TV that was on.

* * *

True to her word, Hailey silently handed him a cup of coffee when he got into the car the next morning.

“Black coffee is easier to buy for someone else,” he said sullenly after taking a sip and noting that as expected, it was perfectly fine. Hailey grinned, sipping her own coffee with a neutral expression.

They walked into the warehouse the next day, and within moments of putting their things into the lockers were ambushed by Nilene.

“Hey,” she said to them. “Sorry I was so bitchy yesterday. Mondays, you know?” It was Thursday, but neither of them said anything. “Anyway. You guys been together long?”

“This year makes 5,” Jay said. Nilene made an impressed noise.

“Damn, never made it anywhere close with my exes. Never even moved in with any of them. How long did you guys wait before the move in?”

“We waited until about a year after Ryan got back from overseas, so it’s been four years now,” Hailey said. Nilene frowned.

“Weird. It’s just that I was going home the same way as you guys yesterday, and Celia dropped you off at an apartment and then kept on going, Ryan.” Shit. Jay glanced at Hailey, and quickly started talking.

“Well, it’s not really any of your business,” he told Nilene. “That’s my brother’s apartment. He’s off vacationing in Hawaii and gave me the key and, you know. Sometimes shit from Afghanistan makes you not want to sleep in the same bed as someone you really fucking care about.” True enough, and from experience, he knew that nobody every tried to argue with a vet who implied anything resembling PTSD.

As he expected, Nilene didn’t say anything further. She did sit in the chair across from Hailey, though, instead of as far away as possible.

* * *

“We need to move in together,” Jay told Voight once they were back in the car that evening. “Like, tonight.”

“Your apartment is closer and easier to monitor,” Kevin said from somewhere in the background.

“Can’t be Jay’s,” Hailey broke in. “I’m just gonna take us to mine.” Jay kept a close eye on the cars and pedestrians around them the entire way to his apartment, but it didn’t seem like anybody had followed them from the warehouse. Even so, he only went in long enough to grab about a week’s worth of clothes and belongings before returning to the car.

“So, I can take the couch,” Hailey said once she unlocked her door.

“Definitely not,” Jay responded. “I’m forcing my way in here, and I’m not letting you give up your bed. Besides, half the time at my place I fall asleep on my couch anyway. I’m more than happy to take it.”

They spent the evening doing some paperwork, answering what questions they could when Voight called in to check up on them, and watching a few dumb romance movies.

“For the record, flowers are a stupid gift,” Hailey said as they watched a couple reunite from a big fight with a bouquet of roses. “They die and then they’re just gone.”

* * *

Jay woke up first the next morning, and spent his time making coffee. When Hailey stumbled into the kitchen, he carefully watched her coffee to milk ratio. She glanced up to catch him staring at her, and he smiled sheepishly then glanced into his own cup and pretended to be entertained by its contents.

The rest of their week went on uneventfully. They had finally met all three of the potential contributors to the case, and Jay had been mindful to keep talking to Doug and build up a rapport with him.

Every day, Jay tried to make Hailey coffee in the morning and every day, she wrinkled her nose slightly when she took a sip. They watched TV together in the evening, and Hailey continued to pick apart every cheesy romance that came onto their screens.

By the end of that week, Jay felt worlds closer to her than he did before. It didn’t help that every time she smiled or laughed, he remembered that feeling from when she had brushed her lips against his own. He remembered how it had felt right. And he was so scared of how it had made him feel that he had avoided doing it again at all costs. Much better to just hold her hand in his own when in front of the others, and if his gaze lingered on her a few too many moments after she looked away from him, then that was for him to acknowledge. Which he didn’t, obviously, because it didn’t mean anything.

* * *

“So, Romeo and Juliet. You ever want to branch out, maybe make more than $15 an hour?” It was Walter, who had just walked into the breakroom they were eating lunch in. They exchanged glances.

“Depends, man,” Hailey said.”Ryan’s got his military pension if the rest of our lives go to complete shit, but his only real world skills are killing people, and I’m a community college arts program drop-out. This might be the best we can do.” Walter seemed to be sizing them up.

“If I gave you an opportunity, but told you you had to keep your mouths locked about it, you in?” Hailey looked at Jay and nodded, giving off a “why not?” feeling.

“We’d probably be fucking idiots to say no,” Jay laughed, and to his relief Walter chuckled as well.

“You definitely would. You two are off at 5?” They nodded. “Meet back here at 8pm sharp. Wear clothes you don’t mind parting ways with, and bring a change of clothes for after. Got it?”

* * *

“Tonight?” Voight demanded. They were in a parking lot about thirty minutes from Hailey’s apartment.

“He said bring a change of clothes. I think we’re gonna be like, actually doing stuff with the coke,” Jay responded. He let out a low breath, seeing it fog in the cold air. Almost by instinct, he reached for Hailey’s hand to try to warm it up a bit. She looked down at their joined hands, and Voight did as well. Jay jolted back to reality and dropped it. “Sorry,” he mumbled.

His hand was warm with the phantom of Hailey’s, but he tried not to focus on that as Voight laid out the details of what was going to happen that night. He wanted to do the bust as soon as possible, which probably meant that after tonight, Jay would be heading back to his own apartment. He was taken aback at how sad he felt to be leaving Hailey’s couch.

* * *

“You two know Reid and Nilene,” Walter said at precisely 8pm. “They’ve got seniority in this operation.”

“Operation,” Jay chuckled, trying to give off the impression that he hadn’t caught on whatsoever to the possible severity of what they were about to do.

“Not your type of operation, army man,” Nilene said, slapping her hand on his lower back. He tried not to balk at her touch, gaze automatically rising to meet Hailey’s. He was surprised to see what looked like...jealousy?

He shook himself out of his thoughts.

“We gonna need to drive anywhere? Cels and I just gassed up,” he said nonchalantly. All Voight and the rest of the team needed to know was where they were gonna be.

“Naw, they come to us,” Reid spoke up.

This was one of the easiest busts they’d ever done.

Walter ushered them into the back of the warehouse, then through a door and into a smaller storeroom that nobody would ever go into without a purpose. There were stacks of cocaine piled everywhere.

“Holy shit,” Hailey breathed. “Is that-”

“Remember. You said you’d shut your mouths about whatever we do here,” Walter said coldly. Jay glimpsed a gun tucked into his waistband. That wasn’t unexpected.

“Yeah man. No way we talk on this,” Jay reassured him. “It’s fucking awesome. How much you make from this?” Nilene smirked.

“Enough, pretty boy. Tonight goes well, and you just might find out. And remember, there are more things than money that you might get as a reward.” She winked, and Jay instinctively moved closer to Hailey. She smiled up at him.

“What do you think, Ryan? Wanna hang out with Nilene tonight?” He responded by leaning in to kiss her. Shit. The tingling sensation was back, and even as he told himself not to feel anything because this was acting and he was Ryan and she was Celia and they weren’t actually a couple but damn it he was still kissing her and she was kissing back-

Hailey broke away, then smirked in Nilene’s direction.

“Sorry, looks like I’m still his choice. Anyway, we here to watch Ryan and I, or are we gonna make some cash?”

The next few hours passed in a blur. Jay spent the entire time cursing how cold it was and the fact that he had brought an old pair of jeans full of holes that let the bitter Chicago air in.

“You look like you could use a coffee,” Hailey joked as she watched him shiver. “I’ll pick one up for you after. I know just how you like it.” He rolled his eyes.

“Black coffee is foolproof. It’s not my fault that you apparently change the amount of milk you put in your coffee every five minutes.” She smiled down at her feet.

“One day you’ll get it right.”

Reid tossed them each a pair of work gloves, and after that they had loaded brick after brick of coke onto the two trucks that pulled into the loading bay. Jay wasn’t able to see the faces of the drivers from where he was, and he was about to try to edge closer to the front of the trucks when he heard a shout from Reid. A moment later, the Intelligence unit was surrounding the group of them.

It was a quick arrest. For all the minute details that Walter had seemed to work into this operation, the group of them had absolutely no real criminal intuition.

Hailey and Jay leaned against the hood of Voight’s vehicle, waiting for his instructions on their next move. “I guess I’ll pack up my stuff and get out of your way, then,” he said, trying not to sound too unhappy about it. It had been what, a week? _Stop getting attached so quickly, Halstead_ , he scolded himself.

“I guess,” Hailey said. “I mean...it’s getting late. If you wanted, you could just spend the night one more time. You can fuck up my coffee in the morning and we can carpool into the precinct.” Jay smiled to himself.

“Yeah. Yeah, that sounds like fun.”

He might have imagined it but that night, before they turned off the crappy romance movie, their lips brushed up against each other once more. It was over too quickly, but the warmth stuck with him as he settled down against the familiar cushions.

* * *

He was crouched down so that Hailey’s coffee cup was at eye level when she walked into the kitchen the next morning. Carefully, he tipped the milk container so that a dash of it swirled into the coffee. He tipped it again. Once more.

“Try it,” he said smugly, passing it over. She chuckled, taking a large gulp.

“Jay, it’s been perfectly fine since the second time you got it for me. I just liked drinking coffee made by you.” He stared at her, thinking back to the amount of time he had spent worrying over her coffee, then burst out laughing.

“I’m happy to make you coffee, even if the case is over,” he told her. “I’ll make it for you every day if you want me to.” She rested her hip against the counter.

“You mean that?” He thought over what he had said, realizing what it might have sounded like. And he was okay with that.

“Yeah, I do.”

The next time their lips touched, it was longer than a lingering brush.


End file.
